Using Taylor's inequality to prove Newton's method error bound

  • Thread starter Thread starter DivGradCurl
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Method Tips
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
2 replies · 3K views
DivGradCurl
Messages
364
Reaction score
0
Problem

Newton's method gives an approximation to a root [tex]r[/tex] of the equation [tex]f(x)=0[/tex]. From an initial approximation [tex]x_1[/tex] we obtain successive approximations [tex]x_2 , x_3 , \ldots ,[/tex] where

[tex]x_{n+1} = x_n - \frac{f(x_n)}{f^{\prime}(x_n)}[/tex]

Use Taylor's Inequality with [tex]n=1[/tex], [tex]a=x_n[/tex], and [tex]x=r[/tex] to show that if [tex]f^{\prime \prime} (x)[/tex] exists on an interval [tex]I[/tex] containing [tex]r[/tex], [tex]x_n[/tex], and [tex]x_{n+1}[/tex], and [tex]\left| f^{\prime \prime} (x) \right| \leq M[/tex], [tex]\left| f^{\prime} (x) \right| \geq K[/tex] for all [tex]x \in I[/tex], then

[tex]\left| x_{n+1} - r \right| \leq \frac{M}{2K}\left| x_n - r \right| ^2[/tex]

[This means that if [tex]x_n[/tex] is accurate to [tex]d[/tex] decimal places, then [tex]x_{n+1}[/tex] is accurate to about [tex]2d[/tex] decimal places. More precisely, if the error at stage [tex]n[/tex] is at most [tex]10^{-m}[/tex], then the error at stage [tex]n+1[/tex] is at most [tex]\left( \frac{M}{2K} \right) 10^{-2m}[/tex] .]

Comments

I'm acquainted with Newton's method

[tex]x_{n+1} = x_n - \frac{f(x_n)}{f^{\prime}(x_n)}[/tex]

and Taylor's Inequality

[tex]\left| R_n (x) \right| \leq \frac{M}{\left( n+1 \right) !} \left| x-a \right| ^{n+1} \qquad \mbox{ for } \left| x-a \right| \leq d[/tex]

However, it's not clear to me how I can join those concepts. Here is what I tried to do (without success :cry:):

If

[tex]\int _{x_n} ^{r} f^{\prime \prime} (t) \, dt \leq \int _{x_n} ^{r} M \, dt[/tex]

[tex]f^{\prime} (r) - f^{\prime} (x_n) \leq M (r-x_n)[/tex]

[tex]f^{\prime} (r) \leq f^{\prime} (x_n) + M (r-x_n)[/tex]

Then

[tex]\int _{x_n} ^{r} K \, dt \leq \int _{x_n} ^{r} f^{\prime} (t) \, dt \leq \int _{x_n} ^{r} \left[ f^{\prime} (x_n) + M (t-x_n) \right] \, dt[/tex]

[tex]K (r-x_n) \leq f (r) - f(x_n) \leq f^{\prime}(x_n)(r-x_n) + \frac{M}{2} (r-x_n) ^2[/tex]

I just need some tips. I probably am in the wrong direction.

Thank you :smile:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I would suggest that you consider the function [tex]g(x)=x-\frac{f(x)}{f^{'}(x)}[/tex], using Taylor's inequality. Note that [tex]R_n(x)[/tex] can be expressed as [tex]|x_{n+1}-r|[/tex]. Also, after differentiating g(x) once, you may need an estimate for |f(x)|. You may obtain such by noting that [tex]f(x)=\int^{x}_{r}f^{'}(y)dy[/tex]
 
Last edited:
This seems close, but I'm not 100% sure.

[tex]x_{n+1} = x_n - \frac{f(x_n)}{f^{\prime}(x_n)} \Longrightarrow r \approx x_n - \frac{f(x_n)}{f^{\prime}(x_n)}[/tex]

Let's rewrite that as follows

[tex]0 = f(x_n) + f^{\prime}(x_n) (r-x_n)[/tex]

which is the first-degree Taylor polynomial approximation to [tex]r[/tex].

In order to gain further insight through Taylor's Inequality, we may find the second-degree Taylor polynomial approximation to [tex]r[/tex]. Thus, we have

[tex]0 = f(x_n) + f^{\prime}(x_n) (r-x_n) + \frac{f^{\prime \prime}(x_n)}{2} (r-x_n) ^2[/tex]

Then

[tex]0 = \frac{f(x_n)}{f^{\prime}(x_n)} + (r-x_n) + \frac{f^{\prime \prime}(x_n)}{2f^{\prime}(x_n)} (r-x_n) ^2[/tex]

[tex]0 = -(x_{n+1}-x_n) + (r-x_n) + \frac{f^{\prime \prime}(x_n)}{2f^{\prime}(x_n)} (r-x_n) ^2[/tex]

[tex]0 = r - x_{n+1} + \frac{f^{\prime \prime}(x_n)}{2f^{\prime}(x_n)} (r-x_n) ^2[/tex]

[tex]r - x_{n+1} = - \frac{f^{\prime \prime}(x_n)}{2f^{\prime}(x_n)} (r-x_n) ^2[/tex]

[tex]\left| r - x_{n+1} \right| = \frac{\left| f^{\prime \prime}(x_n) \right|}{2\left|f^{\prime}(x_n)\right|} \left| r-x_n \right| ^2[/tex]

[tex]\left| r - x_{n+1} \right| \leq \frac{M}{2K} \left| r-x_n \right| ^2 \Longleftrightarrow \left| x_{n+1} - r \right| \leq \frac{M}{2K} \left| x_n - r \right| ^2[/tex]
 
Last edited: